Blending East and West - Lair of the Leviathan is a handcrafted open-world RPG that’s going straight on my wishlist
This is the retro RPG I’ve been waiting for. Plus, the Swords and Sandals creator is helping bring it to life!
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Indie devs love putting a modern spin on classic formulas, and for good reason – it works. These days, a lot of players can’t easily tell ‘90s JRPGs and Western RPGs apart unless they really know the differences. So why not combine the best of both? Lair of the Leviathan is an game that does exactly that.
Lair of the Leviathan – A classic RPG reimagined
Before we dive in, let’s clear something up: what’s the main difference between Western RPGs and JRPGs?
Western RPGs trace their roots back to Dungeons & Dragons, with deep mechanics and open-ended gameplay. Meanwhile, ‘80s JRPGs took inspiration from games like Ultima and Wizardry but went for a more streamlined, accessible approach. Take Dragon Quest, for example – it’s basically a simplified Wizardry-style game with a linear story, a fixed protagonist, and a structured adventure guiding the player.
That said, the term “JRPG” didn't really come into popular use until the mid-'90s and wasn’t widely used until the PlayStation 2 era in the early 2000s. By then, the distinction between games like Diablo became much clearer.
Lair of the Leviathan; Developer: Nostalgic Realms, Whiskeybarrel Studios
But genres evolve, and these days, the JRPG sub-genre is harder to define as its classic elements blend with other styles. And that’s exactly what Nostalgic Realms and Whiskeybarrel Studios are doing.
Lair of the Leviathan combines Western-inspired visuals and an open world with classic JRPG-style turn-based combat, but with a more challenging, tactical approach and dozens of abilities. It will feature a non-linear story, letting you progress however you want, along with an extensive character creation system for full party customization.
Let’s be real, when you see those hex tiles on the battlefield, Songs of Conquest situation. There’s no army of heroes to build, no castle and resources to manage – just some of the art style giving off those vibes, nothing more. Those hexagons are probably more tabletop-inspired than anything.
Speaking of the art style, Lair of the Leviathan’s world is fully handcrafted by Nostalgic Realms, and from what I’ve heard, it’s going to be pretty big, packed with tons of dungeons to explore. No procedural generation here, every location is carefully designed. Impressive!
Now, let’s take a moment to check out what another developer is working on, or rather, who they are.
Oliver Joyce from Whiskeybarrel Studios recently gave us a look at the hero inventory system in Lair of the Leviathan. And if that name sounds familiar – yep, it’s him. The one and only creator of the Swords and Sandals series! So, if your nostalgia for the golden age of flash games just kicked in, trust me, you’re not alone.
If you’re looking for a classic open-world RPG that brings back the best parts of the genre with some JRPG influences and modern design, Lair of the Leviathan is definitely one to keep an eye on. Especially with a demo on the way.
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